We hosted our first scholarship cruise aboard the Spirit of New York, which proved so successful that it will now to be an annual event. Also on the cruise we awarded two scholarships totaling $2,500 to college students, and raised funds towards next year's scholarship award. Our educational and self-development programs included a workshop on business etiquette. In addition we are planning and organizing a half-day career conference to be held later in November at a local college, the guest speaker will be Mike Howard.

To add to our highlights this year, we've launched our very first MI Book Club. MI members get together monthly to discuss the reading selection of the month. As a chapter, NY members took trips to Broadway to see Into the Woods and took our family to see the UniverSoul Circus, the world's only circus owned and operated by people of color. We celebrated diversity by lifting up the African American culture with an evening of storytelling, and sampled the Asian culture with dinner at a Chinese restaurant. We joined with the New York Cares Foundation by cleaning and beautifying NYC public schools and will again participate in the Secret Santa campaign to ensure children receive gifts.

Below are highlights from our company groups:

Mutual of New York

• MI @ MONY celebrated Hispanic Heritage month with weekly salsa lessons, Latin cuisine in the cafeteria, and distribution of Latin "tidbits"

• MI @ MONY made a trip to visit the Syracuse Chapter in an effort to combine MI activities with that Chapter

• MI @ MONY's new executive sponsor E.P. Rogers, Senior Vice President and Chief Informational Officer's commitment to MI renewed participation in the company's activities.

New York Life

• Launched the third year of company-wide mentorship program. In the past this program had 83 mentor-mentee matches, this year is expected to exceed that number.

• Monthly general or mentoring sessions feature senior managers who speak about their professional experiences and business units.

Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association

• MI @ TIAA sponsored an afternoon lecture with Deborah Rosado Shaw, author of Dream Big.

• MI @ TIAA compiled and distributed a packet of information in celebration of Women's History Month.

• MI @ TIAA celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with an evening extravaganza attended by over 150 associates.

• MI @ TIAA held ongoing luncheons with Mary Ann Werner, Executive Vice President and President of TIAA Shared Services.